BEST WESTERN FOREST LODGE

This attractive Georgian hotel makes an ideal base for a relaxing rural retreat in the New Forest National Park. The small town of Lyndhurst is just a five-minute walk from the hotel, and Southampton can be reached in 20 minutes by car. Visitors might explore the area's many scenic spots such as Exbury Gardens and Paulton's Park, and families might enjoy a trip to the Marwell Wildlife Park or National Motor Museum at Beaulieu, all within a half-hour drive.The hotel's cosy guest rooms are furnished with a rich, trendy décor and helpful amenities such as flat-screen televisions, tea and coffee facilities, and free internet access as well as iPod docking stations and steam-free mirrors in some rooms. Guests can start the day with a light continental breakfast or classic, cooked-to-order English breakfast and dine on classic English fare in the modern The Glasshouse Restaurant or chic Terrace Bar.